Remember when the first VCR came out? When the first Camcorders hit the market? Remember the 110 camera? Remember when Apple came out with its first PC? These all met a need that we didn't even know we had. And they met them is a very big way.
How popular are Digital cameras going to be? If they are light weight, produce high definition pictures, with disks cheaper than developed film, with pictures immediately accessable, and can be bought for less than $500, they are going to be extremely popular. Add the digital capabilities for editing, storing, transmitting over internet, etc., and even your grandmother will be asking for one for Christmas. And thats just the consumer market.
If we look beyond the "alliance with who!?" aspect of these news releases, there is a picture forming of the development of a product which will likely become a standard component of the majority of digital imaging devices for the next several, and maybe many, years. Every digital camera made by Kodak, Cannon, Fuji, Nikon and whoever else enters the market will have IOM inside. And if that weren't enough, IOM will also be providing the millions of disks each year that will be bought instead of film. My guess is that Kodak may be more concerned about losing market share to digital than losing it to Fuji.
This is a big announcement, and it marks the move of IOM into a new market that can be as big the one it is trying to capture with PC storage. Its no longer a one horse show. Another few developments like this one, and this company my be around for a long, long time. |
